Why Real Estate Agents are Still Necessary

In this day and age you will find a lot of people adverse to spending money they feel they don’t have to.Â I don’t blame, I like a deal just like the next guy, but I also know my limitations as well.Â I was proud of myself for hanging window treatments throughout my home, I even ordered them online, but you won’t find me fixing our plumbing or doing any electrical work.Â I leave those types of tasks to hired professionals, it may cost me a bit more, but in the long run I can rest easy knowing that it was done correctly.Â This is the way I feel about real estate agents, there aren’t any laws that demand we use them, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t either.

People often cringe at the thought of paying a real estate agent to sell their homes, but theirs is a profession like any other and should be treated as such.Â Granted the more expensive the home your selling, the greater the commission paid to the agent, but if they have done their job then they deserve as much.Â In fact, some agents are offering very attractive incentives and specialized programs for homeowners that really want to get out of their current homes while rates are still low.Â Think of the numerous companies with the we buy your home motto, in fact I have several agents in my area that guarantee just that if they are unable to sell your house within a predefined period of time.

While incentives like the one above are great for attracting buyers and sellers, there are many other qualities you should look for in a real estate agent.Â I personally like any company I deal with to have a reputable and up-to-date website that explains their services and fees.Â Perhaps their site has a ‘featured homes’ section, or something of that nature, after all this agent is going to be listing and attracting buyers to your home if you agree to work with them.Â Another important quality is their knowledge of the area you currently live in.Â If potential buyers are going to be asking them an array of questions about the area you want to know that your agent will be making intelligent well informed answers.

Lastly, don’t forget that their commissions are always negotiable.Â Don’t go out there expecting to pay them pennies for doing a thorough job, as you wouldn’t want to be compensated that way either.Â However, that doesn’t mean you need to pay the first percentage they offer you either.Â Even with a recovering market they are anxious to get every buyer and seller they can.